Chocolate Lover
Organic artisan chocolates by Seth Ellis Chocolatier are made in a peanut-, tree nut-, and gluten-free facility. Some contain dairy and soy lecithin. $7.99/box of 4 and $24.99/box of 18. Order online.

Our Man on Skis
Steve Omischl grew up as a "pretty sick kid with asthma" and a peanut allergy. But he's never let that stop him on his quest to world domination in freestyle skiing. Now, after disappointing finishes at his last two Olympics, the Winter Games in Vancouver are this four-time world aerials champ's chance to snag Olympic gold. Last winter, Allergic Living spoke to Omischl about his huge anaphylactic reaction the night before a World Cup event. more

Celebrity For a Day
On a normal day, Olivia Piluso is a typical teenager – albeit an active, sporty one. But on a recent day, this peanut-allergic girl "felt like a celebrity" instead of an average teen. That day, Olivia carried the Olympic flame 300 metres as part of the Olympic torch relay. more

The Pollen Problem
The CSACI says pollen allergies may take some athletes by surprise during the Vancouver Games. Spring allergies come early on the West Coast, with alder pollen peaking in mid February to early March. Symptoms may cause concern as they mimic respiratory infections and influenza, and some allergy and cold medications contain banned substances. more

A recent study finds that one in three people reacting to peanuts and tree nuts aboard an aircraft are experiencing anaphylaxis, the most serious form of allergic reaction.
Of particular concern to researchers from the University of Michigan and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network was that only 10 per cent of survey participants who had an inflight reaction used an epinephrine auto-injector to treat symptoms. (Most opted for an antihistamine.)
Of 285 people who expressed interest in the study, 150 were chosen to participate since they (or their children) had experienced an allergic reaction aboard a commercial flight. Reactions were graded.
"You have 50 people who had a fairly severe reaction on airplanes in the middle of nowhere, there's a lot of risk to be taken if you're just going to have Benadryl," allergist Dr. Matthew Greenhawt, co-author of the study, told Allergic Living. more